How receipts work in Franklin
Every card transaction in Franklin needs a receipt to be fully reconciled. The receipt workflow has three stages: getting the receipt into Franklin, matching it to the right transaction, and exporting it for bookkeeping. This guide walks you through each step.
Stage 1: Getting receipts into Franklin
There are four ways to get receipts into Franklin. Most teams combine them depending on the type of expense.
Option 1: Auto-forward from email (recommended for recurring expenses)
Set up a forwarding rule in your email client so receipts sent to your finance inbox are automatically forwarded to your Franklin inbox. Once configured, you never have to think about it again.
- Go to File Archive and copy your Franklin inbox email address
- Set up an auto-forwarding filter in your email client:
- Gmail: Settings → Filters and blocked addresses → Create a new filter → forward to your Franklin inbox
- Outlook: Rules → New rule → forward to your Franklin inbox
- Apple Mail: Preferences → Rules → forward to your Franklin inbox
From now on, all receipts matching your filter land in the File Archive automatically. You can also use your Franklin inbox as the billing email on platforms like Google Ads, Meta, or Shopify — receipts will be sent there directly.
Option 2: Drag & drop into File Archive
For one-off expenses where you have the receipt as a file (PDF, image, etc.), you can drag and drop it straight into the File Archive.
- Go to Bookkeeping → File Archive
- Drag your receipt file into the archive, or click to upload
The receipt will appear in the archive immediately and the AI will attempt to match it within the hour.
Option 3: Let Franklin fetch receipts automatically
For ad platforms like Google Ads, Meta, and TikTok, Franklin can fetch your receipts directly from the platform — no forwarding or uploading needed.
Set up the integration under Integrations, connect your ad account, and Franklin will automatically pull receipts and match them to the corresponding transactions.
This is the hands-off option for marketing spend and works best when you have a dedicated Franklin card per platform.
Option 4: Upload receipts manually in Receipts
You can also attach a receipt directly to a specific transaction, one at a time, from the Receipts view.
- Go to Receipts in the left-hand menu
- Find the transaction you want to attach a receipt to
- Click the transaction and upload the receipt file directly
This is the most direct method when you already know which transaction a receipt belongs to.
Stage 2: Matching receipts to transactions
Automatic AI matching
Once a receipt lands in your File Archive, Franklin's AI will automatically attempt to match it to the correct transaction. This happens approximately one hour after the receipt is uploaded.
The AI matches based on: date, merchant name, and transaction amount. When a match is found, the receipt disappears from the File Archive and is attached to the transaction under Receipts.
When does a transaction appear under Receipts?
Transactions are usually visible under Receipts within 12–24 hours, depending on when the merchant settles the payment. The card charge itself may appear in your balance immediately, but it can take time before it is fully settled and appears as a matchable transaction.
Manual matching
If the AI does not match a receipt automatically, you can match it yourself:
- Go to Bookkeeping → File Archive
- Find the unmatched receipt
- Click "Match Receipt" and select the correct transaction
Troubleshooting
"My receipt was not matched automatically"
This can happen for a few reasons:
- The transaction is not yet settled — the receipt arrived before the transaction was visible. Wait 12–24 hours and the AI will retry, or match it manually once the transaction appears.
- The receipt could not be read — if the file is blurry, missing key data, or in an unsupported format, the AI cannot match it. Try uploading a clearer version.
- The transaction is already matched — if the same transaction has multiple possible receipts, only one can be matched. Check whether it was matched to a duplicate.
In all cases, you can match the receipt manually via File Archive → Match Receipt.
"There are random files in my File Archive"
When you forward receipt emails, email signatures and other attachments (logos, legal disclaimers) are sometimes included as separate files. These are not receipts — you can delete them by clicking "Delete file" next to the unwanted item. We recommend cleaning up your File Archive regularly.
"My receipt is in the archive but the transaction is not showing up yet"
The transaction may not have settled yet. This is normal — leave the receipt in the File Archive and it will be matched automatically once the transaction appears. Alternatively, match it manually when the transaction becomes visible.
Stage 3: Exporting for bookkeeping
Once transactions are matched with receipts, you can export everything for your accounting system.
- Go to Bookkeeping → Export
- Select the period you want to export
- Download the export file — it includes transactions, receipts, notes, and tags
- All previous exports are saved in the platform and can be re-downloaded at any time
Note: You can export a transaction even if it does not have a receipt — as long as a bank account is connected to the transaction.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add notes or tags to transactions? Yes — notes can be added to individual transactions and will be included in the export.
Can I see previous exports? Yes — all previous exports are saved in the platform, including receipts and notes.
What happens to top-up transfers in the export? Top-ups appear under Receipts alongside card transactions. They are automatically categorised as Top up and assigned to your connected bank account.
How does bank reconciliation work? Franklin provides account statements and monthly exports that make reconciliation straightforward. Download your account statement under Bookkeeping → Account Statement.